Dishwasher having rack assembly with movable shelves

ABSTRACT

A dishwasher is disclosed which includes a rack disposed inside a washing cabinet, a rack and at least one shelf which is rotatably connected to the rack so as to be rotated to a raised upright position and then to a lowered upright position and held, and which is rotatable to the raised upright position and then rotated to a substantially laid down position. Space utilization is increased as a height of the shelf extending above the shelf is reduced and a size of another rack assembly which may be positioned above the rack assembly may be increased.

This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0112903 filed in Korea on Nov.15, 2006, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

A dishwasher is disclosed herein having a rack assembly with moveableshelves.

2. Description of Related Art

A dishwasher is an apparatus, which washes food remnants adhered tocups, dishes, culinary tools and similar items (hereinafter, referred toas “dishes”) by using a detergent and wash water, and which is providedwith racks for placing dishes thereon inside a washing cabinet, theracks being vertically moved in a backward and forward direction to beinserted into and drawn out from the washing cabinet. However, relatedart dishwasher have various disadvantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments will be described in detail with reference to thefollowing drawings in which like reference numerals refer to likeelements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a dishwasher according to anembodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of shelves in a laid down position inside thedishwasher of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of shelves being in a raised upright positioninside the dishwasher of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a dishwasher according toanother embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a rack assembly of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a shelf of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross sectional view of a shelf of a rack assemblyof FIG. 4 in a laid down position;

FIG. 8 is a partial cross sectional view of the shelf of FIG. 7 rotatedand raised to upright position; and

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the shelf of FIG. 8 in a loweredupright position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, a dishwasher having a rack assembly with a moveable shelfor shelves according to embodiments will be described in detail withreference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partial exploded perspective view of a dishwasher accordingto an embodiment. In the dishwasher of FIG. 1, a plurality of rackassemblies 2, 3, 4 configured to receive thereon dishes or similar itemsmay be disposed inside a washing cabinet 1. Guides 5 and 6 that guidebackward and forward movement of the rack assemblies 2, 3 may beinstalled in the washing cabinet 1. Further, rack assembly 4 which issmaller in size that rack assemblies 2, 3 may be installed above therack assembly 3.

Shelves 7 and 8 configured to receive cups or similar items placedthereon and shelf holders 12, 13, 14, and 15 that mount the shelves 7and 8 thereon are provided on at least one of the rack assemblies. Theshelves 7 and 8 may be configured to be laterally oriented only when acup is placed on the shelves 7 and 8 for a user's convenience, and maybe otherwise raised to an uptight position and held in that position.

The front left shelf holder 12 and the rear left shelf holder 13 may bemounted on a left portion of the rack 9 at an interval shorter than thefront-to-rear length of the left shelf 7. Thus, when the left shelf 7 israised upright, the front right shelf holder 12 may hold a front portionof the left shelf 7 and the rear left shelf holder 13 may hold a backportion of the left shelf 7. Similarly, the front right shelf holder 14and the rear right shelf holder 15 may be mounted on a right portion ofthe rack 9 at an interval shorter than the front-to-rear length of theright shelf 8.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of shelves in a laid down position inside thedishwasher of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of shelves in a raisedupright position inside the dishwasher of FIG. 1.

If the shelves 7 and 8 of the rack assembly 3 are laterally oriented asillustrated in FIG. 2, the shelves 7 and 8 are positioned only insidethe rack 9 and do not project upward from the rack 9, and a space S1formed above the rack assembly 3, in which another rack assembly 4 maybe installed increases. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, if theshelves 7 and 8 are raised upright, a portion of each of the shelves 7and 8 projects upward from the rack 9, and a space S2 formed above therack assembly 3, in which another rack assembly 4 may be installed isreduced.

However, the rack assembly 4, which as set for the above is smaller insize than the rack assemblies 2, 3, may be installed above the rackassembly 3, even when the shelves 7 and 8 are in the raised uprightposition. Thus, the dishwasher according to the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1-3 requires that the rack assembly 4 installed above the rackassembly 3 be reduced in size because the shelves 7 and 8 have a higherprojection height when the shelves 7 and 8 are in the raised uprightposition.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a dishwasher according toanother embodiment. The dishwasher of FIG. 4 may include a washingcabinet 1 and rack assemblies 2, 3, and 4 configured to be disposedinside the washing cabinet 1 and drawn out therefrom. Guides 5 and 6that guide forward and backward movement of the rack assemblies 2, 3 maybe installed inside the washing cabinet 1. Further, nozzles 12 and 14that spray wash water toward the rack assemblies 2, 3, and 4 may beprovided inside the washing cabinet 1. A door 16 that opens and closes afront opening face of the washing cabinet may be disposed at a front ofthe washing cabinet 1.

A sump (not shown) that collects wash water may be installed at a lowerportion of the washing cabinet 1. A pump apparatus that pumps wash waterin the sump toward the nozzles 12 and 14, a water supply apparatus thatsupplies wash water to the inside of the sump, and a drainage apparatusthat drains wash water in the sump to outside may be connected to thesump.

The rack assemblies 2, 3, and 4 may be vertically spaced apart from eachother, and one or more of the plurality of rack assemblies 2, 3 may beconfigured to receive therein plates or similar items, and the otherrack assembly 4 may be configured to receive thereon cutlery, culinarytools, or similar items.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a rack assembly of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is aperspective view of a shelf of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a partial crosssectional view of a shelf of a rack assembly of FIG. 4 in a laid downposition. FIG. 8 is a partial cross sectional view of the shelf of FIG.7 rotated and raised to an upright position. FIG. 9 is a partialenlarged cross sectional view of the shelf of FIG. 8 in a loweredupright position.

The rack 50 may be, for example, a grill-type element. Further, the rack50 may have an approximately hexahedron shape. Furthermore, the rack 50may have a top surface, and may include a left portion 51, a rightportion 52, a front portion 53, a rear portion 54, and a bottom portion55.

The left portion 51, right portion 52, front portion 53, and rearportion 54 may be connected by a plurality of horizontal bar portion 56and a plurality of vertical bar portions 57 which intersect each other.The bottom portion 55 may be connected such that a plurality of left andright bar portions 58 and a plurality of front and rear bar portions 59intersect each other.

A plurality of shelves 70 and 80 may be provided on the rack 50.Alternatively, the shelves may be disposed one on each of the leftportion 51 and the right portion 52, or they may both be disposedtogether on one of the left portion 51 and the right portion 52.

Hereinafter, description will be made with respect to an embodiment inwhich both shelves 70, 80 are disposed together on one side of the rack50, more particularly, the right portion 52 of the rack 50, spaced apartin a forward and backward direction. In other words, the (front) shelf70 is provided at a front side of the right portion 52 of the rack 50,and the (rear) shelf 80 is provided at a rear side of the right portion52 of the rack 50, as shown in FIG. 5. The front shelf 70 and a rearshelf 80 may be constructed to have the same structure.

The shelves 70 and 80 may be configured to rotate to be raised to anupper side of the rack 50 (to a raised upright position) and then movedto a lower side thereof (to a lowered upright position) and held in thatposition, and moved to the upper side thereof (to the raised uprightposition) and then rotated to a laid down position. That is, the shelves70 and 80 may have a hold position to which they are rotated so as to beraised to the upper side of the rack 50 and then moved to the lower sidethereof and held, and a use position to which they are rotated so as tobe moved to the upper side thereof and then laid down. That is, therespective shelf 70, 80 is rotated (in the direction of arrow A in FIG.8) to an upright position, as shown in FIGS. 7-8, and then is slid in adownward direction (in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 8) to a loweredupright position, as shown in FIG. 9, where it is held in such positionby a hanger 100. The respective shelf 70, 80 may then be raised back tothe upright position and then rotated to a laid out position.

The shelves 70 and 80 may each include a guide 90 configured to move orrotate along one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions 56, ahanger 100 configured to be stopped at another one of the plurality ofhorizontal bar portions 56 when the respective shelf 70, 80 is raisedand then moved to the lowered upright position, and a support portion110 configured to be stopped by the vertical bar portions 57 when therespective shelf 70, 80 is laid down and when the respective shelf 70,80 is raised up and then moved to the lowered uptight position.

Hereinafter, for convenience, description will be made with respect tothe case in which the guide 90 is guided along one of the upperhorizontal bar portions 56 a and the hanger 100 is stopped at one of thelower horizontal bar portions 56 b.

The guide 90 may project from the shelf 70, 80 and may have a guideportion 91 configured to be guided along the upper horizontal barportion 56 a, such that the guide 90 has an overall U-shape.

A plurality of guides 90 may be provided spaced apart from each other ina lengthwise direction of the shelf 70, 80. A plurality of guides 90 maybe formed approximately at a front and rear sides and a center of theshelf 70, 80.

The guide 90 may include an upper guide 92 projected from the shelf 70,80, a linear portion 94 extending or curved from the upper guide 92, anda lower guide 96 extending or curved from the linear portion 94 so as toface the upper guide 92. The upper guide 92 may increase in thickness asit extends toward the shelf 70, 80. Further, the upper guide 92 may beconfigured to be positioned adjacent an upper side of the upperhorizontal bar portion 56 a when the shelf 70, 80 is raised and thenslid down.

The linear portion 94 may come into contact with the upper horizontalbar portion 56 a when the shelf 70, 80 slides in an up-and-downdirection, that is, a direction parallel to a heightwise extended line Pof the shelf 70, 80, as shown in FIG. 8. The linear portion 94 may havea length equal or similar to a distance between the upper horizontal barportion 56 a and the lower horizontal bar portion 56 b.

The lower guide 96 may be configured to be stopped at the upperhorizontal bar portion 56 a when the shelf 70, 80 is slid in an upwarddirection, as shown in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 7, the lower guide 96may contact the upper horizontal bar portion 56 a when the shelf 70, 80is rotated. Further, the lower guide 96 may include a curved surfaceportion 97 which may contact the upper horizontal bar portion 56 a.

A protrusion 98 may be provided on the lower guide 96 which is stoppedat the upper horizontal bar portion 56 a in a vertical direction whenthe shelf 70, 80 is rotated into a laid down position and in ahorizontal direction when the shelf 70, 80 is moved to or raised, asshown in FIGS. 7-8, respectively. The lower guide 96 may be configuredto be placed on the lower horizontal bar portion 56 b when the shelf 70,80 is slid down to the lowered upright position, as shown in FIG. 9.

The hanger 100 may project from the guide 90. As shown in FIG. 9, thehanger 100 may be stopped at the lower horizontal bar portion 56 b toprevent the shelf 70, 80 from being arbitrarily rotated to a laid downposition when the shelf 70, 80 is in the lowered upright position. Thehanger 100 may be formed to extend substantially in a direction parallelto the linear portion 94, and may project from the lower guide 96 in anopposite direction from the linear portion 94. Additionally, the hanger100 may be shorter than a width between the upper horizontal bar portion56 a and the lower horizontal bar portion 56 b so that the shelf 70, 80is not interrupted by the lower horizontal bar portion 56 b whenrotating to the laid down position from the raised upright position.

The support portion 110 may project from an end of the shelf 70, 80 soas to be parallel to the linear portion 94 and the hanger 100, and maybe positioned along the heightwise extended line P shown in FIG. 8.

The laid down angle of the shelf 70, 80 may be determined based on ashape and angle of a portion 112 of the support portion 110(hereinafter, referred to as a “contact portion”) that contacts thevertical bar portions 57 of the rack 50 when the shelf 70, 80 is laidout laterally. If the contact portion 112 extends parallel to the end 71of the shelf 70, 80, the shelf 70, 80 is laid out substantiallyhorizontally. In contrast, if the contact portion 112 is sloped withrespect to the end 71 of the shelf 70, 80, the shelf 70, 80 is laid outwith a slope to the horizontal plane.

Further, if the slope angle between the shelf 70, 80 of the contactportion 112 and the end 71 is large, the slope angle between the shelf70, 80 and the horizontal plane is large. In contrast, if the slopeangle between the contact portion 112 and the end 71 of the shelf 70, 80is small, the slope angle between the shelf 70, 80 and the horizontalplane is small.

The supporting portion 110 may be formed on the shelf 70, 80 so as to bespaced from the guide 90. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, a protrusion mayproject from the shelf 70, 80 to prevent a cup or similar items frombeing moved on the shelf 70, 80.

An operation of dishwasher according to embodiments and constructed asset forth above will be described herein below.

First, if the shelf 70, 80 is laid out substantially laterally, as shownin FIG. 7, the linear portion 94 of the guide 90 is positioned adjacentto or placed on the upper horizontal bar portion 56 a, the guide 90 isoriented so as to turn around the upper horizontal bar portion 56 a in aclockwise direction of FIG. 7, and the shelf 70, 80 is rotated aroundthe upper horizontal bar portion 56 a. When the shelf 70, 80 is disposedto be sloped horizontally or at a predetermined angle, the contactportion 112 of the support portion 110 contacts the vertical bar portion57 and is restrained and/or stopped thereby as shown in FIG. 7, thelower guide 96 of the guide 90 is restrained and stopped by the upperhorizontal bar portion 56 a, and the shelf 70, 80 is held by the guide90 and the support portion 110 engaged to the upper horizontal barportion 56 a and the vertical bar portions 57.

Meanwhile, if the shelf 70, 80 is rotated upward as shown in FIG. 8, thesupport portion 110 is moved apart from the vertical bar portion 57, thelinear portion 94 of the guide 90 is moved to the left of and adjacentto the upper horizontal bar portion 56 a, and the guide 90 turns aroundthe upper horizontal bar portion 56 a in the clockwise direction of(arrow A in) FIG. 8, and the shelf 70, 80 is raised to a raised uprightposition.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 8, the shelf 70, 80 may be freely sliddownward. If the shelf 70, 80 is slid down, the linear portion 94 of theguide 90 descends along the upper horizontal bar portion 56 a, and theposition of the shelves 70 and 80 is lowered to a lowered uprightposition.

If the position of the shelf 70, 80 is lowered approximately a height H(see FIG. 9) of the linear portion 94 of the guide 90, the upper guide92 is positioned adjacent to or placed on the upper horizontal barportion 56 a and/or the lower guide 94 is positioned adjacent to orplaced on the lower horizontal bar portion 56 b, and the hanger 100 isdisposed at the left of and adjacent to the lower horizontal bar portion56 b. At this time, the support portion 110 is restrained as it iscontacted to the vertical bar portion 57 of the rack 50, and the shelf70, 80 is held by the guide 90, the hanger 100, and the support portion110 engaged to the lower horizontal bar portion 56 b and the upperhorizontal bar portion 56 a, respectively.

That is, the support portion 110 is stopped at the vertical bar portion57 and restrained in the left direction of FIG. 9, the linear portion 94of the guide 90 is stopped at the upper horizontal bar portion 56 a andrestrained in the right direction of FIG. 9, and the hanger 100 isstopped at the lower horizontal bar portion 56 b and restrained in theleft direction of FIG. 9. At this time, as the upper guide 92 of theguide 90 is positioned adjacent to or placed on the upper horizontal barportion 56 a and/or the lower guide 94 is positioned adjacent to orplaced on the lower horizontal bar portion 56 b, and the shelf 70, 80 isrestricted from moving to the left and right and downward, and the shelf70, 80 is held in the lowered upright position.

A dishwasher according to embodiments disclosed herein have at least thefollowing advantages.

Embodiments disclosed herein provide a dishwasher which offers a highutilization of the space inside a washing cabinet by minimizing a heightof a shelf not in use by preventing the shelf from projecting upwardfrom the rack or reducing any projection. That is, dishwasher accordingto embodiments disclosed herein has increased space utilization as thespace above the shelf may be increased and thus a size of another rackassembly positioned above the rack assembly may be increased. This isbecause the shelf may be moved downward and held to the rack in alowered upright position if not in use, and thus the shelf does notproject above the rack or the height of the portion projecting above therack is reduced.

Moreover, the dishwasher according to embodiments disclosed herein isadvantageous in that the shelves are not shaken and/or do notarbitrarily fall out from the rack during operation of the dishwasher.

There is provided according to embodiments disclosed herein a dishwasherwhich may include a rack disposed inside a washing tub or cabinet, and ashelf which is rotatable so as to be raised to an upper side of the rackand then moved to a lower side and held, and which is movable to theupper side and then rotated and laid down.

The rack may have a plurality of horizontal bar portions disposedthereon so as to be vertically spaced apart from each other and aplurality of vertical bar portions provided thereon, and the shelf mayhave a guide placed so as to be moved or rotated along one of theplurality of horizontal bar portions and a support portion stopped atthe vertical bar portions when the shelf is laid down and when the shelfis raised and moved. The guide may have a guide portion opened andguided along the one upper horizontal bar portion. The guide may beprovided in a plural number spaced apart from each other in a lengthwisedirection of the shelf. The guide may include an upper guide projectedfrom the shelf, a linear portion curved from the upper guide, and alower guide curved from the linear portion so as to face the upperguide.

The upper guide may become thicker as it goes closer to the shelf. Thelower guide may have a protrusion which is stopped at the one upperhorizontal bar portion in a vertical direction when the shelf is laidand in a horizontal direction when the shelf is raised.

The portion of the lower guide contacting the one horizontal bar portionmay be formed of a curved surface portion. The surface of the supportportion contacting the vertical bar portions may be sloped with respectto the end of the shelf. The support portion may be formed on the shelfso as to be spaced apart from the guide. The support portion may beformed in a plural number so as to be spaced apart from each other inthe lengthwise direction of the shelf. A hanger may be formed which isstopped at the other one of the plurality of horizontal bar portionswhen the shelf is raised and moved. The hanger may be projected from theguide so as to be disposed next to the other horizontal bar portion andstopped when the shelf is raised and moved. The hanger may be shorterthan a width between the one horizontal bar portion and the otherhorizontal bar portion.

Additionally, there is provided a dishwasher according to embodimentsdisclosed herein which may include a rack disposed inside a washing tubor cabinet, having a plurality of horizontal bar portions spaced apartfrom each other, and provided with horizontal bar portions, and a shelfhaving a guide to be moved or rotated along one of the horizontal barportions and a hanger to be stopped at the other horizontal bar portion.The guide may include an upper guide projected from the shelf, a linearportion curved from the upper guide, and a lower guide curved from thelinear portion so as to face the upper guide. A hanger may be projectedfrom the guide so as to be shorter than a width between one horizontalbar portion and the other horizontal bar portion.

Further, there is provided a dishwasher according to embodimentsdisclosed herein which may include a rack disposed in the washing tub orcabinet, and a shelf having a hold mode at which it is rotated so as tobe raised to an upper side of the rack and then moved to a lower sideand held and a use mode at which it is moved to the upper side of therack and then rotated and laid down. The shelf may include a guidemoving or rotating along one of the plurality of horizontal bar portionsformed on the rack, a support portion stopped at the vertical barportions formed on the racks when the shelf is in the use mode and thehold mode, and a hanger stopped at the other one of the plurality ofhorizontal bar portions formed on the rack when the shelf is in the holdmode. The hanger may be projected from the guide so as to be shorterthan the width between one horizontal bar portion and the otherhorizontal bar portion.

A dishwasher according to embodiments disclosed herein is advantageousin that space utilization is increased as the space as much as adecrease in the height of a shelf is ensured above the shelf and thesize of another rack assembly positioned above the rack assembly wherethe shelf is installed can be maximized, because the shelf is moveddownward and held to the rack after they are raised if it is not in use,thereby not projecting the shelf upward of the rack or minimizing theheight of the portion projected upward of the rack.

Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theembodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Theappearances of such phrases in various places in the specification arenot necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic is described inconnection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within thepurview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, orcharacteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number ofillustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerousother modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled inthe art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles ofthis disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modificationsare possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subjectcombination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawingsand the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications inthe component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also beapparent to those skilled in the art.

1. A dishwasher, comprising: at least one rack configured to be disposedinside a washing cabinet; and at least one shelf rotatably attached tothe at least one rack so as to be rotated from a substantially laid downposition to a raised upright position with respect to the at least onerack and then moved to a lowered upright position and held thereat, andwhich is thereafter raisable to the raised upright position and thenrotated back to the substantially laid down position.
 2. The dishwasherof claim 1, wherein the at least one rack comprises a plurality ofhorizontal bar portions vertically spaced apart from each other and aplurality of vertical bar portions attached thereto.
 3. The dishwasherof claim 2, wherein the at least one shelf comprises at least one guideconfigured to be moved or rotated along one of the plurality ofhorizontal bar portions.
 4. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the atleast one shelf further comprises at least one support portionconfigured to be stopped at one of the plurality of vertical barportions when the at least one shelf is in the substantially laid downand when the at least one shelf is in the lowered upright position. 5.The dishwasher of claim 4, wherein a surface of the at least one supportportion contacting the one of the plurality of vertical bar portions issloped with respect to a central widthwise axis of the at least oneshelf.
 6. The dishwasher of claim 4, wherein the at least one supportportion is formed on the at least one shelf spaced apart from the atleast one guide.
 7. The dishwasher of claim 4, wherein the at least onesupport portion comprises a plurality of support portions spaced apartfrom each other in a lengthwise direction of the at least one shelf. 8.The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the at least one guide comprises aguide portion opened and configured to be guided along an upperhorizontal bar portion of the plurality of horizontal bar portions. 9.The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the at least one guide comprises aplurality of guides spaced apart from each other in a lengthwisedirection of the at least one shelf.
 10. The dishwasher of claim 3,wherein the at least one guide includes an upper guide projected fromthe at least one shelf, a linear portion that extends from the upperguide, and a lower guide that extends from the linear portion so as toface the upper guide.
 11. The dishwasher of claim 10, wherein the upperguide decreases in thickness as it extends away from the at least oneshelf.
 12. The dishwasher of claim 10, wherein the lower guide has aprotrusion configured to be stopped at the upper horizontal bar portionin a vertical direction when the shelf is in the substantially laid downposition and in a horizontal direction when the shelf is in the raisedupright position.
 13. The dishwasher of claim 10, wherein a portion ofthe lower guide contacting the one of the plurality of horizontal barportions is formed of a curved surface portion.
 14. The dishwasher ofclaim 3, wherein the at least one guide further comprises a hangerconfigured to be stopped at another one of the plurality of horizontalbar portions when the at least one shelf is moved to the lowered uprightposition.
 15. The dishwasher of claim 14, wherein the hanger projectsfrom the at least one guide so as to be disposed next to the another oneof the plurality of horizontal bar portions and stopped when the atleast one shelf is moved to the lowered upright position.
 16. Thedishwasher of claim 14, wherein the hanger is shorter than a widthbetween the one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions and theanother one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions.
 17. Thedishwasher of claim 1, wherein the at least one shelf comprises aplurality of shelves.
 18. The dishwasher of claim 17, wherein theplurality of shelves are provided on one side of the rack in succession.19. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the at least one shelf comprisesat least one dish orienting protrusion.
 20. A dishwasher, comprising: atleast one rack configured to be disposed inside a washing cabinet andcomprising a plurality of horizontal bar portions spaced apart from eachother and a plurality of vertical bar portions attached thereto; and atleast one shelf having at least one guide movable with respect to androtatable along one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions and atleast one hanger configured to be stopped at another of the plurality ofhorizontal bar portions.
 21. The dishwasher of claim 20, wherein the atleast one guide comprises an upper guide projected from the at least oneshelf, a linear portion that extends from the upper guide, and a lowerguide that extends from the linear portion so as to face the upperguide.
 22. The dishwasher of claim 20, wherein the at least one hangerprojects from the at least one guide and is shorter than a width betweenthe one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions and the another ofthe plurality of horizontal bar portions.
 23. A dishwasher, comprising:at least one rack configured to be disposed inside a washing cabinet;and at least one shelf configured to be movable between a hold mode inwhich it is rotated from a substantially laid down position to a raisedupright position with respect to the at least one rack and then moved toa lowered upright position with respect to the at least one rack andheld thereat, and a use mode in which it is returned to the raisedupright position and is then rotated to the substantially laid downposition.
 24. The dishwasher of claim 18, wherein the at least one shelfcomprises: at least one guide configured to move or rotated along one ofa plurality of horizontal bar portions formed on the at least one rack;at least one support portion configured to be stopped at another of theplurality of horizontal bar portions when the shelf is in the use modeand the hold mode; and at least one hanger configured to be stopped atthe another one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions when theshelf is in the hold mode.
 25. The dishwasher of claim 23, wherein theat least one hanger projects from the at least one guide and is shorterthan a width between the one of the plurality of horizontal bar portionsand the another of the plurality of horizontal bar portions.